Paddle for swimmer



a. GIRDEN PADDLE FOR SWIMMER Sept. '22, mo

, Filed Oct. 11. 1968 F/GJ IIII/ALIIIIIIIII l III/I 6 N mm m 1 4 m a y g w m w u "I 71/ I, zw

United States Patent O 3,529,313 PADDLE FOR SWIMMER Barney Girden, 32 W. 76th St., New York, N.Y. 10023 Filed Oct. 11, 1968, Ser. No. 766,893 Int. Cl. A63b 31/06 US. Cl. 9-303 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A paddle for a swimmer which attaches to the swimmers hand for greatly increasing the power applied during each stroke for propelling the swimmer through the water. The paddle is foldable so that it may be compactly and easily stored on or about the body of the swimmer to free the swimmers hand to perform other functions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a paddle for a swimmer which greatly increases the area of water against which the swimmer pushes while the swimmer propels himself through the water. While paddles for this general purpose are known, most prior art paddles are large and bulky and cannot be easily taken out of use while the swimmer is in the water to free the swimmers hands. Snorkelers, skin divers and aquanuts often desire to use their hands for performing operations, picking up objects, shooting spear guns and the like while in the water and thus it has generally been considered impracticable to provide hand paddles to aid in propelling the individual through the water since the paddles will then interfere with the use of the hands. Also, many of the piror art paddles require that the swimmer hold them firmly in order to keep them in proper position and this has had the effect ofcausing the swimmers muscles to become tired and cramped during extended periods in the water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a paddle having a large surface area is provided with means for retaining the paddle on the hand of the swimmer in a comfortable position without requiring effort or force on the part of the swimmer to hold the paddle. Means are also provided to properly orient the swimmers hand into a normal, cupshaped position to prevent cramping of the hand. When the swimmer requires use of his hand, he can readily remove the paddle and pactly fold same for storage on or about his body whereby the paddle is readily available for subsequent use.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a paddle for a swimmer of improve construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paddle which is retained on the hand of the swimmer in an improved manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a paddle which positions the swimmers hand to minimize cramping.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a paddle of improved construction which may be compactly folded for storage on or about the body of the swimmer to free the swimmers hands for other uses.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for maintaining a paddle in open position and ready for use when it is not being stored.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

3,529,313 Patented Sept. 22, 1970 "ice BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to to the following description taken in connection with the accompaying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a swimmer using the paddles of the instant invention to propel the swimmer through the water;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the paddle of the instant invention constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, at an enlarged scale, taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, at an enlarged scale, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the paddle of FIG. 2 folded for suspension from or about the body of the swimmer; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 66 of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The swimmer shown in FIG. 1 is snorkelling by propelling herself along the surface of the water. The swimmer is wearing a face mask 11 with a snorkel 12 attached thereto so that the swimmer can keep her face in the water and observe objects within the water while breathing through the snorkel. The swimmer is wearing fins 13 on her feet of any known type.

On each hand the swimmer is wearing a paddle 14 constructed in accordance 'with a preferred embodiment of the instant invention. The swimmers hand will normally present an area of less than 20 square inches to push against the water for propelling the swimmer. With a paddle of the instant invention, a surface area of about square inches can easily be obtained thereby substantially increasing the force applied to the water during a power stroke and greatly increasing the speed at which the swimmer is able to travel through the water.

Paddle 14 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 through 4. The paddle is formed as a generally rectangular panel 15 having a leading edge 16, side edges 17 and a rear edge 18. While the leading and side edges may be generally straight, the rear edge is preferably curved so as to define an inwardly extending area or cutout 19 for receiving the portion of the hand defined by the joint between the thumb and index finger. Cutout 19 is closer to one side edge than the other so that the hand may be properly located centrally of the surface of the paddle with the cutout being differently located for left and right hand paddles. The paddle shown in FIG. 2 is a left hand paddle.

The paddle is preferably formed of polypropylene for reasons to be hereafter described. The bottom of the paddle indicated as 21 is the driving surface and the top 22 the surface which the fingers and palm overlie. A pad 23 is provided on the top surface extending above the general surface of top 22. Pad 23 is located generally centrally of the paddle from side to side and has a width substantially the width of the hand of the average swimmer. The pad extends forwardly from the terminus of cutout 21 toward leading edge 16 for a distance of approximately 2.5 inches for a purpose that will be hereafter apparent. The pad is preferably formed of a floatation material to prevent the pad from sinking if it inadvertently gets away from the swimmer.

A retaining band 24 extends transversely across the paddle from side to side in overlying relationship with pad 23. In the embodiment shown, the paddle is provided with slots 25 adjacent each side edge 17 and the band at each end is looped around the edge of the paddle and is looped through the slots whereafter the ends are riveted to the band as at 26 to secure the band to the paddle. The band is a stretchable member such as rubber and normally lies against the pad when the paddle is not being used as shown in FIG. 2. The wearer slips her fingers beneath the band and moves the hand forwardly so that the joint between the thumb and index fingers enters into cutout 19. With the hand fully advanced, it attains the position shown in FIG. 4 with the thumb below the paddle or adjacent bottom 21 and the hand overlying the top of the paddle. In the FIG. 4 position, pad 23 lifts the hand in the area where the fingers join the palm to impart a slight cupshaped position to the hand. This position allows the hand to remain relaxed and thus is not cramped. The retaining band firmly presses the back of the hand at the base of each finger and along the knuckles behind the base of the fingers firmly against the pad whereby the paddle is firmly retained on the hand without requiring any gripping action or muscle tensing on the part of the swimmer. The swimmer can shake the paddle, move it about and otherwise manipulate it without expending any energy to hold the paddle on the hand. The paddle can remain in this position for long periods of time without the hand becoming cramped.

The paddle is formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending hinges 31 by which the paddle can be folded. By forming panel 15 of polypropylene, hinges 31 can be formed directly into the sheet leaving a thin layer of material 32 which forms the hinge and which may be continuously flexed without fracturing. The sides 33 of each hinged joint abut below the level of top 22 in order that the maximum open position is substantially planar as shown in FIG. 3. Sides 33 terminate below the level of top 22 in order to prevent the hinge joint from pinching the skin of the swimmer, which might otherwise occur if the skin entered the joint when the paddle was slightly flexed.

When the swimmer desires to have the use of her hands, she can remove the paddle and fold it as shown in FIG. 6. In order that the paddle, which has a thickness of about A inch in order to be sufficiently strong and rigid, may be folded compactly and flat, the paddle is provided with one hinge 31 on one side of pad 23 and two spaced hinges 31 on the other side of pad 23. The side of the paddle having one hinge is first folded and the opposite side can then be brought in overlying relationship by means of the two hinges whose spacing is at least as great as the thickness of panel 15. Folding of the paddle in a direction away from retaining band 24 is permitted due to the stretchable qualities of the retaining band. The retaining band also applies a restoring force which will snap the paddle to the FIG. 3 position when the paddle is not physically held in folded condition and the retaining band maintains the paddle in its functioning position unless the paddle is purposefully folded.

With the paddle in the folded position shown in FIGS. and 6, a band 41, such as an elastic band, can be placed about the folded paddle to hold the paddle in closed position. Band 41 may be provided with a hook 42 for hooking the paddle to a strap or other suitable object secured or carried by the body of the swimmer and, in this manner, the paddle may be carried along by the swimmer but will not interfere with the use of the swimmers hands. When the swimmer again desires to use the paddle, she merely removes band 41 whereupon the paddle springs open for mounting on the swimmers hand. Of course, the use of band 41 and hook 42 is by way of illustration only.

4 A sheath or holster strapped to the leg or body of the swimmer could also be provided for receiving the folded paddle and other arrangements would also be possible.

While pad 23 has been disclosed as a separate element, it will be understood that it could be formed integrally with sheet 15. The principal importance is that the top surface of the paddle is provided with means for imparting a cupped position to the hand when the paddle is worn so as to prevent cramping while the usefulness of the paddle as a swimmers aid is due primarily to its ability to be folded for temporary storage on or about the body of the swimmer.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What is claimed is:

1. A paddle for a swimmer comprising a panel having a bottom and a top and a longitudinal axis parallel to the length axis of a swimmers fingers when overlying said panel, folding means extending longitudinally of said panel for rendering said panel foldable, and common means extending transversely of said panel for releasably securing the hand of a swimmer in overlying relationship with sai dtop and for biasing said panel to opened position, said common means biasing said panel to its open position when in a folded condition and biasing said panel to releasably maintain it in open position when said panel is in its open position.

2, A paddle for a swimmer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said top of said panel includes means for maintaining the hand of a swimmer in a cupshaped position.

3. A paddle for a swimmer as claimed in claim 2 wherein said maintaining means comprises a pad having a smaller surface area than said top of said panel and said pad is secured to said top of said panel generally centrally thereof.

4. A paddle for a swimmer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said common means includes a stretchable retaining band extending transversely of said panel and means for securing said stretchable retaining band to said panel in overlying relationship with said top of said panel.

5. A paddle for a swimmer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said folding means rendering said panel foldable comprises a plurality of spaced hinges dividing said panel into a plurality of sections, said hinges extending longitudinally of said panel and generally parallel, one to another, whereby said sections may be folded, one upon another, for compact storage of said paddle.

6. A paddle for a swimmer as claimed in claim 5 wherein said common means for maintaining said panel in open position comprises a stretchable band secured to said panel proximate to outer edges thereof, said band extending transversely to the longitudinal extent of said hinges.

7. A paddle for a swimmer as claimed in claim 5 wherein at least three hinges are provided for rendering said panel foldable, two of said hinges being spaced apart a distance substantially that of the thickness of said panel, said two hinges cooperating with the third of said hinges to divide said panel into three sections of substantially equal sizes.

8. A paddle for a swimmer as claimed in claim 7 where in said panel is formed of material capable of being extensively flexed through a thin section thereof, said hinges beingformed as part of said material and being defined by thin sections of said material, said hinges including abutment means for limiting the opening of said panel to 1,655,762 a nonfolded position, said abutment means being located 1,708,331 below said top surface of said panel. 2,569,200

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Englehart 9303 Ryan 9'303 Smith 9307 Berthiot 9307 5 TRYGVE M. BLIX, Primary Examiner I. E. PI'ITENGER, Assistant Examiner 

